Sliding sun visor

ABSTRACT

A sun visor assembly for an automotive vehicle includes a sun visor panel having generally planar opposing sides sandwiched together to define a pocket therebetween. A longitudinally extending support rod is positioned between the opposing sides of the panel for supporting the panel in the interior of the vehicle. An adjustment mechanism is coupled between the support rod and the sun visor panel for providing selective sliding movement of the sun visor panel along the support rod between a retracted position and an extended position. The adjustment mechanism includes a support frame secured to the visor panel having an upper rail forming a longitudinal rack, a guide carriage secured to the support rod and slidably coupled to the support frame, and a gear rotatably supported by the carriage and meshed with the rack for guiding the sun visor panel along the support rod between the retracted and extended positions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to sun visor for an automotive vehicle which isselectively slidable between a retracted position and an extendedposition.

2. Background of the Invention

Automotive vehicles typically include sun visor assemblies mounted tothe headliner of the interior compartment of the vehicle. Common sunvisor assemblies comprise a visor panel supported by an elongatedsupport rod and pivotally connected to the headliner by a bezzle. Thebezzle allows the sun visor assembly to pivot generally 90 degrees toprovide sun blockage from either the front or side window of thevehicle. The sun visor panel is also commonly rotatably coupled to thesupport rod to fold the panel against the headliner when not in use andunfold the panel adjacent the window in use to block sun and glare intothe vehicle.

However, the longitudinal length of the sun visor panel is ofteninsufficient to cover the longitudinal width of the window to provideadequate sun blockage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is desirable to provide an extendable sun visor whereinthe sun visor panel is slidable along the support rod between a normalretracted position and an extended position for covering a largerportion of the window.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a sun visorassembly adapted to be mounted to the interior of an automotive vehiclecomprising a sun visor panel having generally planar opposing sidessandwiched together to define a pocket therebetween. A longitudinallyextending support rod is positioned between the opposing sides of thepanel for supporting the panel in the interior of the vehicle. Anadjustment mechanism is coupled between the support rod and the sunvisor panel for providing selective sliding movement of the sun visorpanel along the support rod between a retracted position and an extendedposition. The adjustment mechanism includes a longitudinal racksupported by either the sun visor panel or support rod and a gearrotatably supported by the other of the sun visor panel or support rodand meshed with the rack for guiding the sun visor panel along thesupport rod between the retracted and extended positions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated asthe same becomes better understood by reference to the followingdetailed description when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the sun visor assembly in the retractedposition showing an adjustment mechanism positioned between opposingsides of the sun visor panel;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sun visor assembly in the extendingposition;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the adjustment mechanism for sliding thesun visor assembly between the retracted and extended positions; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the adjustment mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a sun visor assembly for an automotivevehicle is generally shown at 10. The sun visor assembly 10 includes asun visor panel, or blade, 12 comprising opposing sides or halves 14, 16which are sandwiched together to form a pocket, or cavity, therebetween.Each side 14, 16 of the panel 12 typically comprises a molded urethanesubstrate wrapped in a trim cover of cloth, vinyl, leather or othermaterial.

The sun visor assembly 10 further includes a generally tubular supportrod 20 extending longitudinally between a first end 22 and second end24. The support rod 20 is positioned between the opposing sides 14, 16of the visor panel 12 for supporting the sun visor assembly 10. A bezzle26 is pivotally coupled to the second end 24 of the support rod 20 forattaching the sun visor assembly 10 to a headliner in the interiorcompartment of the vehicle. The bezzle 26 allows the sun visor assembly10 to pivot for use between the front windshield and the side windows ofthe vehicle as is commonly known to one skilled in the art.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, an adjustment mechanism 30 is coupledbetween the support rod 20 and the sun visor panel 12 for providingselective sliding movement of the sun visor panel 12 along the supportrod 20 between a retracted position, as shown in FIG. 1, and an extendedposition, as shown in FIG. 2. The adjustment mechanism 30 includes agenerally rectangular support frame 32 seated in the pocket 18 betweenthe opposing sides 14, 16 of the sun visor panel 12. The support frame32 includes spaced apart and generally parallel upper and lower rails34, 36 interconnected by ends 38, 40. The ends 38, 40 each include anaperture 41 therethrough for slidably receiving the support rod 20 alongthe longitudinal length of the lower rail 34.

The adjustment mechanism 30 also includes a longitudinal rack 42extending from the lower rail 36 having a plurality of equally spacedapart teeth 44. A guide carriage 46 is fixedly secured to the supportrod 20 adjacent the first end 22 and slidably coupled to the upper rail36 of the support frame 32 for guiding the support frame 32, and thusthe sun visor panel 12, along the longitudinal length of the support rod20. More specifically, the guide carriage 46 includes spaced apart legs48, 50 which straddle the upper rail 36 such that the upper rail 36provides a track for guiding the legs 48, 50 and carriage 46 therealong.

A pinion gear 52 is rotatably supported by the guide carriage 46 andmeshed with the teeth 44 on the rack 42 for moving the sun visor panel12 along the support rod 20 between the retracted and extendedpositions. The pinion gear 52 is biassed against the rack 42 by a damper54 coupled between the gear 52 and carriage 46 for dampening vibrationbetween the rack 42 and gear 52. More specifically, referring to FIG. 4,the carriage 46 includes a center guide plate 56 slidably mountedbetween the opposing legs 48, 50 in a direction opposite thelongitudinal length of the rack 42. The guide plate 56 is generallyU-shaped with each side slidably supported within a channel formed inthe side of each leg 48, 50. The pinion gear 52 is rotatably connectedto the center guide plate 56 adjacent the rack 42. A retainer plate 58is fixedly secured to the support rod 20 adjacent the center guide plate56. The damper 52 includes a pair of coil springs 60, 62 compressedbetween the guide plate 56 and the retainer plate 58 for biassing theguide plate 56 along the opposing legs 48, 50 toward the rack 42. Thedamper 52, therefore, allows the guide plate 56 to “float” between therack 42 and the support rod 20 while maintain meshed engagement betweenthe pinion gear 52 and the rack 42.

In operation, to slide the visor panel 12 between the retracted andextended positions, a pulling or pushing force is applied to the panel12 longitudinally along the length of the support rod 20. The guidecarriage 46 allows the panel 12 to slide along the support rod 20 withthe gear 52 being forced to rotate along the rack 42.and travel alongthe upper rail 36 between the opposing ends 38, 40. The damper 52provides smooth and constant effort, as well as reduces vibration andnoise, during the selective sliding adjustment of the sun visor 10between the extended and retracted positions.

The above-described embodiment of the invention is intended to be anexample of the present invention and alterations and modifications maybe effected thereto, by those of skill in the art, without departingfrom the scope of the invention.

1. A sun visor assembly adapted to be mounted to the interior of anautomotive vehicle comprising: a sun visor panel having generally planaropposing sides sandwiched together to define a pocket therebetween; alongitudinally extending support rod positioned between said opposingsides of said panel for supporting said panel in the interior of thevehicle; and an adjustment mechanism coupled between said support rodand said sun visor panel for providing selective sliding movement ofsaid sun visor panel along said support rod between a retracted positionand an extended position, said adjustment mechanism including alongitudinal rack supported by one of said sun visor panel and saidsupport rod and a gear rotatably supported by the other of said sunvisor panel and said support rod and meshed with said rack for guidingsaid sun visor panel along said support rod between said retracted andextended positions.
 2. A sun visor assembly as set forth in claim 1wherein said adjustment mechanism includes a support frame includingspaced apart upper and lower rails connected by opposing ends, saidsupport frame fixedly secured in said pocket between said opposing sidesof said panel.
 3. A sun visor assembly as set forth in claim 2 whereinsaid longitudinal rack includes a plurality of teeth formed in one ofsaid upper and lower rails for engaging with said gear.
 4. A sun visorassembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said adjustment. mechanismincludes a guide carriage fixedly secured to said support rod andslidably coupled to said support frame for guiding said support framealong the longitudinal length of said support rod between said retractedand extended positions.
 5. A sun visor assembly as set forth in claim 4wherein said guide carriage includes a pair of spaced apart andgenerally parallel legs having a first end fixed to said support rod anda second end slidably coupled to one of said upper and lower rails ofsaid support frame.
 6. A sun visor assembly as set forth in claim 5wherein said guide carriage includes a center guide plate slidablycoupled between said legs and rotatably supporting said gear forengagement with said teeth of said rack.
 7. A sun visor assembly as setforth in claim 6 wherein said adjustment mechanism includes a dampercoupled between said gear and said guide carriage for biassing said gearagainst said rack.
 8. A sun visor assembly as set forth in claim 7wherein said support rod includes opposing first and second ends withsaid guide carriage mounted therebetween.
 9. A sun visor assembly as setforth in claim 8 wherein said legs of said support rack each include anaperture therethrough for receiving said first end of said support rodto slidably mount said support frame to said support rod.
 10. A sunvisor assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said rack is formed insaid lower rail and said guide carriage extended between said upper andlower rails for movement between said ends of said support framedefining said extended and retracted positions.
 11. A sun visor assemblyas set forth in claim 10 wherein said damper includes at least one coilspring compressed between said support rod and said center guide platefor sliding said guide plate toward said lower rail and biassing saidgear into meshed engagement with said teeth of said rack.
 12. A sunvisor assembly as set forth in claim 11 further including a bezzlefixedly secured to said second end of said support rod adapted tofixedly secure said sun visor assembly to a headliner of the vehicle.